Tape cutter



Jan. 27, 1953 H. A. COLDIRON TAPE CUTTER Filed April 16, 1949 [17 V E]? f0 2 @waid A. Ualdz'raiz Patented Jan. 27, 1953 TAPE CUTTER Harold A. Coldiron, Chicago, IlL, assignor to The Scholl Mfg. .00., Inc., Chicago, I ll., a corporation of New York Application April 16, 1949, Serial No. 87,919

1 Claim. (01. 164-845) This invention relates to improvements in a tape cutter, and more particularly to a cutting device readily and easily applied to a roll of adhesive tape to aid in the severance of a tape section of desired length, although the device may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, difliculty has been experienced in the removal of sections of tape of a desired length from a supply roll of tape. This was true whether or not the tapecarried an adhesive surface, but the difiiculty was greatly increased especially where the body of the tape comprised a fabric. The use of an extra cutting implement is objectionable, because of time wastage, especially where an operator is frequently removing lengths of tape from a supply roll'during the course of his work. The most desirable procedure, of course, is the tearing of the tape to remove a desired length, but fabric tape did not tear readily, and there was danger, especially where that tape carried a pressure sensitive adhesive, of a fold occurring in the tape with the confronting adhesive faces being locked together.

I am aware that in the past many and various tape cutting devices have been developed, but in practically every instance, such cutting devices carried the roll of tape, and that is not always practical. Further, many of the cutting devices heretofore known when used with pressure sensitive adhesive tape required a special manipulation 01' very careful operation to prevent the free tape end attached to the roll from closely adhering to the roll and rendering it extremely difficult to remove the next section of tape from the roll. Also, these formerly known tape cutting devices in most cases required an objectionable and laborious re-loading with a roll of tape, and were also highly expensive.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a tape cutting device that may be readily and easily slipped over the side edges of a roll of tape and maintain its position on the roll by frictional engagement.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a simple device carrying a cutting edge and which may be easily slipped on into frictional engagement with a tape roll, so that the cutting edge is disposed conversely across the outer layer of tape on the roll.

It'is also a feature of this invention to provide a simple tape cutting device which may be frictionally engaged over the edge of a tape roll, and

which will readily retain its proper position uponthe roll while permitting the roll to be rotated relatively to the device so as to be non-interfering with the action of unwinding tape from the roll.

It is also an object for this invention to provide a tape cutting device for simple frictional engagement with a roll of tape, which device is provided with a cutting edge and includes means to maintain that cutting edge spaced from the outermost layer of tape on the roll so that after a section of tape is cut off against the cutting edge of the device, the free edge remaining on the roll will be spaced from the layer therebeneath so as to be freely accessible for the next removal of a tape section.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of a simple tape cutting device for free and easy slidable attachment to a tape roll, which device may be readily maintained firmly in cutting position by the thumb or finger of a user and yet not interfere with the unwinding of tape from the roll.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a tape cutting device easily attachable to a roll of tape, which device carries a cutting edge, with spacing means in the device so arranged as to maintain the device in inclined position relatively to the roll with the cutting edge nearer the roll.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tape cutting device embodying a plate overlying the circumferential face of the roll, said plate having a cutting edge at one end, with means depending from that plate to frictionally engage the sides of the tape roll.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a simple form of tape cutting device, highly durable, embodying no movable parts, and whichmay be extremely economically manufactured, which device is readily attachable to and removable from a roll of tape.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tape cutter em bodying principles of the instant invention, showing the same in operative position upon a roll of tape;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the struc-- ture of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view, showing the cutting device in end elevation,

and taken substantially as indicated by the line 3 III-III of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

As shown on the drawings:

The illustrated embodiment of this invention is shown in operative association with a roll I of tape. While the invention is highly desirable for use with a pressure sensitive adhesive tape comprising a carrier body of any suitable material with a surface of pressure sensitive adhesive, such as masking tape, binding tape, surgical adhesive tape, sealing tape, and the like, the invention is equally suitable with other forms of adhesive tape as well as with tape carrying no adhesive. For illustrative purposes, byway of example and not by way of limitation, it may be assumed that the roll I is of pressure sensitive adhesive tape having a fabric body.

The illustrated form of cutting device embodies a channel-like member including a plate-like base portion 2 and opposed depending sides 3 and 4. As seen best in Fig. 3, the side members 3 and-4 are inwardly converging at least toa slight extent so that these members will frictionally grip the sides of the tape roll I between them when the device is slipped on the tape roll to the position seen in the drawings.

To facilitate sliding the device on the tape roll, the side members 3 and 4 terminate in outwardly turned or flared marginal portions 5 and 6, respectively. In the illustrated instance, these portions are shown in the form of substantially complete rolls, to avoid the exposure of any sharp edges, but it is not'necessary for the operation of the device that the marginal portions 5 and 6 be completely rolled as illustrated.

Likewise, it is not essential to the operation of the device that the side members 3 and t be completely solid, as illustrated, but such members may be substantially any construction as to exert a frictional engagement with the side of the tape roll'sufficient to prevent accidental dislodgement of the device.

The plate-like base portion 2 is provided along one end with a serrated cutting edge 1, and from the showing in Fig. 4, it will be noted that the teethof this edge are preferably ground or beveled in "both directions when the cutting edge is sharpened.

The opposite edge of the plate-like base portion 2 is preferably turned upwardly in any suitable manner, such as by way of a roll 8 so as to form an abutment against which the thumb or finger of a user may rest when the device is in operation. To also facilitate engagement of a thumb or finger of a user with the deviceythe part 2 is preferably provided with an intermediate recess 9 which may have a knurled surface, as shown, if so desired.

Spacing means are also provided to maintain the base portion 2 of the device spaced from the outer layer of tape on the roll. In the illustrated instance these spacing 'means take the form'of cross rods l!) and H. The rod 10 extendst'r'ansversely between the side members 3 and A and may be secured both to-the side members and to the underface of the base '2 as indicated in Fig. 4. The spacing element II is disposedat a greater distance from the base 2 and may suitably be attached to the sidevmembers 3 and 4.

When the device is to be engaged with .a roll of tape, it is a simple expedient to slide the device vonto the tape roll to the extent permitted by the spacing elements l0 and l I, both of which should contact the outermost layer of tape on the roll. By virtue of the disposition of these spacing elements, the entire device is canted in its position so that the outer or base portion 2 thereof is disposed at an angle with the cutting edge I being nearer the tape roll than the opposite raised edge 8. The spacing element 10, however, is preferably so disposed as to prevent direct contact between the cutting edge 'I and the outermost layer of tape, but on the other hand maintains that cutting edge spaced away from that outer tape layer. When the device is mounted in this position, it is a simple expedient for the user to insert his fingers through the core of the tape roll and hold the cutting device in position with his thumb. It is quite simple to extend the thumb over the rear raised edge 8 of the device and drop it into the depression 9. Such holding of the device does not in any manner interfere with the unwinding of tape from the roll, becausethe device is freely slidable along the roll. After a section of tape has been unwound to the desired length, it is a simple expedient to draw that section of tape along the cutting edge 1 and sever the same. By virtue of the fact that the cutting edge I is maintained spaced away from the tape section l2 being severed (Fig. 4) the free edge portion 13 of the tape remaining on the roll will not tend to adhere intimately to the next adjacent layer, but will remain in a free position where it is easily engaged by the fingers of a user when the next section of tape is to be removed.

It will also be noted that it is a simple expedient after all the tape has been removed from the roll to slip off the cutting device and as easily slip it on a new roll of tape. Between uses, the operator may readily carry the device in his pocket or keep it in a handy position.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a simple, economical, and highly efilcient tape cutting device capable of severing tape of substantially any kind, including the toughest fabric tape as well as light or thin paper tape.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

As an article of manufacture, a tape cutting device for slip-on frictional engagement with a roll of tape, said device comprising an integral channel-shaped member having a rectangular web portion provided with a cutting edge at one end and flanges depending from the sides of-said web portion and converging toward each other to directly and frietionally engage the sides of said tape roll with the web portion overlying the outermost layer of'tape, a spacer extending transversely of said web portion against the under side of said portion adjacent to but spaced backwardly of said cutting edge to rest against the outermost layer of tape, and a second spacer extendingtransversely of said web portion and secured in said flanges adjacentthe end thereof away from said cutting edge andspaced from said web portion a distance such that when said spacers both rest against the outermost layer of tape said cutting edge is substantially spaced from said roll and prevented fromcoming into direct contact therewith so long as both spacers are held in contact with the outer surface of said Number r011, said web having a depressed finger rest in- 524,320 termediate said spacers. 2,272,628 HAROLD A. COLDIRON. 5 2 5, 2,423,004 REFERENCES CITED 2444117 The following references are of record in the 2,447,518 file of this patent: 2,537,147

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hapgood Aug. 14, 1894 Anderson Feb. 10, 1942 Donahoo et a1. June 2, 1942 Butler June 24, 1947 Slone et a1 June 29, 1948 Marinsky Aug. 24, 1948 Marinsky Jan. 9, 1951 

